Everything you need to use gerunds & infinitives correctly: the formula, when to use it, signal words, common mistakes and exercises with answers.
Some verbs are followed by the -ing form, some by to + verb, and some by either. : V + V-ing; : V + to V; Both forms, but with different meanings: remember/forget/stop/try + V-ing ≠ + to V. Signal words: V-ing: enjoy, avoid, finish, mind, suggest, keep, practice, consider, to V: want, need, decide, hope, plan, agree, promise, learn, Either form, same meaning: like, love, hate, prefer, begin, start, continue, Either form, different meaning: remember, forget, stop, try, regret.
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| V + V-ing enjoy, avoid, finish, mind, suggest, keep, practice, consider, deny, imagine | I enjoy swimming in the sea. The -ing form also follows prepositions: interested in learning, good at cooking | |
| V + to V want, need, decide, hope, plan, agree, promise, refuse, offer, learn, expect | She decided to study abroad. Some verbs take an object before to + verb: ask/tell/want someone to do something | |
| Both forms, but with different meanings | remember/forget/stop/try + V-ing ≠ + to V stop + -ing (stop doing it) is not stop + to + verb (stop in order to do it) | Stop talking! vs Stop to talk. remember + -ing (recalling what you did) is not remember + to + verb (not forgetting to do it) |
After any preposition (in, on, at, of, about, for...) the -ing form is used
The -ing form can act as the subject of a sentence
to + verb expresses purpose (in order to)
Some verbs need an object before to + verb
| Word | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|
| enjoy + V-ing | I enjoy reading books. | NEVER: enjoy to read |
| want + to V | I want to learn English. | NEVER: want learning |
| stop + V-ing | Stop smoking! It's bad for health. | Stopping what you are doing |
| stop + to V | I stopped to buy coffee. | Stopping in order to do something else |
| remember + V-ing | I remember locking the door. | Something that already happened |
| remember + to V | Remember to lock the door. | Something that has not happened yet |
Fill in the blank, then open the answer to check it.
Options: studied · study · studying · to study
studying. After the preposition 'in' the -ing form is always used.
Options: Swam · Swim · Swimming · To swim
Swimming. The -ing form as the subject: Swimming is good...
Options: clean · cleaned · cleaning · to clean
clean. make + object + bare infinitive, with no 'to': made me clean.
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